So I came to Germany to do an fsj in a psychiatric department in Halle and so I did but on the 31.03 of this year my fsj ended and I didn't know I had to tell anything to the Krankenkasse, I simply thought I would not be insured afterwards.
Last week I got a letter from them that asked me to send them information on my income(I was still looking for a job so I had none).
I did send them the truth so 0 euros per month and they want now 266.90 euros for each mont I didn't pay.
I have exactly 900 € on my bank account, in September I start an Ausbildung zum Pflegefachmann but until September I have 0 way of paying the 1334,5€ that I owe them.
I also owe 454 euros to the Wohngeldamt because I got Wohngeld during my fsj and apparently they paid me one month longer.

by TiSborro_negli_occhi

24 comments

  1. Call them and ask if you can pay in installments. Either way you will have to pay.

  2. Explain your situation and ask if they’d allow you to make a payment plan.

  3. First of all don´t panic ! That happens to them all the time.

    You need to know it was a mistake you made, so it is your responsability to pay this money back.

    Explain to them that you have no money, and ask if you can pay in installments: like for example 30 a month, or something like that… it is the only solution. If you just ignore them, the debt will keep on growing.

    Talk to them so you can find a solution.

  4. Health insurance is mandatory in Germany.

    Call your health insurance company and explain to them that you are currently not earning any money but will be in a training relationship from September. Ask them if you can pay in installments from September.

  5. Be sure to tell your friends about your error. Many people just think they can live in germany without paying health insurance. If you get sick you need this.

    You will save lives by educating

  6. Usually, if you show initiative but cannot pay the entire thing, they will work with you on installments. Please call them and ask if this is an option.

  8. Stupid question: what’s FSJ?

    If the social security system (Arbeitslosenversicherung or Bürgergeld) doesn’t apply to you because you didn’t contribute to it sufficiently or long enough, then you night have issues. Another stupid question: you have checked if a social security measure applies to you?

    Being a foreigner your residence is dependent on your ability to pay health insurance and cover your other expenses as well. You can either speak with them and work in a down payment plan or you can loan money. A Schuldnerberater might also be an option.

    Be careful, don’t let loan sharks get to you.

  9. The same happened to me when I had a few months in between my Bachelor and Masters and they were charging me the maximum fee possible because I was exmtrikuliert and declaring no income.

    They literally destroyed my life for the following year, and that financial strain of this followed me for years afterwards. One cannot understate my level of hatred for the German system around insurance and how they fuck over foreigners.

    Maybe you can contact associations who help foreigners and students with legal matters pro bono. When it happened to me, I wrote my insurance many many emails, and they never cared to answer or tried to find a solution, they threatened to stop the validity of my thesis so that I would fail my studies if I didn’t pay them. (Yes, they can do that apparently, insane shit)

  13. I owned the Krankenkasse 16000 (dont ask)
    I started with Rates as low as 50 a month
    To pay it back

    So talk to them

  15. Explain the situation to your Krankenkasse, especially that you will work again in september and I am sure they will offer you the possibility to pay in low monthly installments.

  16. Why does Germany have this system that you have to pay each month its so inefficient. Is it because influence of the americans?

    Why cant it be like Sweden where you dont even have pay or think about it?

  17. Contact your Krankenkasse and the Wohngeldamt. Inform them about your situation, that’s the most important thing. If you ignore this it’s only going to get worse. Tell them you need more time and you start your job in September.

  19. If you’re not German: Contact the health insurance of the country you come from and ask for a specific document that states you were insured with them at the time and they shouldn’t ask to pay anymore

  20. Ask to pay in installments. Try to make some quick cash in the meantime, like getting a bank account opening reward or selling blood plasma.

  21. Are you registered as unemployed (Arbeitsamt/ Jobcenter)?
    They usually pay your Krankenkasse during unemployment

  22. Generally it’s advisable to speak to the person / organisation directly and explain rather than asking Reddit

  23. I got a big back bill from my krankenkasse after I got let go from a previous job. I notified them as soon as I was let go and they advised that they would contact me to let me know how that affected my policy.

    A few months later they finally wrote to me to advise that I would now be liable for paying my health insurance voluntarily and included a bill for the several months I had waited for a response. Like 900 euro, expected to be paid with my next scheduled payment. I was in a similar situation to you, so I contacted them to advise I couldn’t pay by the due date and they offered me a payment plan. I chose to pay an additional 100 euro on each scheduled payment, and while 350 a month was pretty rough, it was enough breathing room for me to find other work and now it’s all paid and I’m back to the usual shitty 250 pm as a freelancer.

    Just contact them and tell them your situation and they can try to help you. From their pov, if you can’t pay and don’t pay, they’re probably not getting the money anytime soon, so if they help you, they’ll at least get something.

  24. You have to pay it and they will alow you to pay with installments as long as you call them and ask for it.

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